OS and Smart Cities

We're at the heart of Smart, helping Smart Cities come to life all over the world.

For us, Smart means being connected and integrated with confidence and precision – and that means knowing where you, your people, assets, sensors and systems are exactly.

Smart Cities, Future Cities

Everything happens somewhere. That said, Smart isn’t always about ‘technology in a built-up’ area. It means having efficient and effective systems that improve the quality of life for everyone who’s using them.

One day, Future Cities will spring up with ‘smarter thinking’ in mind from the outset.

Right now though, we're at the heart of Smart activity everywhere: we’re using our geospatial expertise to help shape new standards, to explore ways that Smart partners can work together and bring Smart Cities to life all over the world.

Our smart thinking

The stats...

70% of us will live in cities by 2050.

By mid-century, almost 60% of Africa's population will live in cities.

Over the next 30 years or so, concentrated growth will happen mostly in urban areas.

Our highly respected and enthusiastic team of experts advises on embedding geospatial intelligence to achieve Smart best practice worldwide.

Why? Because location is the unique common denominator that can bring all Smart partners together: robust analysis, efficiency, effectiveness and interoperability can only happen with accurate mapping and precise, accessible location data.

In fact, without the know-how to connect or integrate the needs of people with places and processes very precisely, it’s impossible to create a Smart environment that’s powered by the Internet of Things.

What have we done so far?

We have the accurate details of over 500m physical assets in our database and 225 years of experience under our belt. That’s why we’re ideally placed to play a key role in emerging Smart City activity:

- We're part of a winning £10m consortium that’s helping Manchester to become the UK’s Internet of Things (IoT) Demonstrator, through the CityVerve project.

Ordnance Survey has a well-defined strategy in providing their customers with accurate and efficient services, and a strong track record of working collaboratively with partners.

— Vince Cable, Former British Secretary of State for Business

- We’re taking part in the Atlas initiative, along with other pioneers who’ll be providing data that’s critical to getting autonomous vehicles up and running efficiently.

- We’re championing the movement for secure, standardised, and approved uses of data in Smart solutions of all kinds – helping to develop new standards and advising on how to implement them.

- And we’re providing a full range of services and support to the many Smart City projects emerging here at home – such as Glasgow, Peterborough, Greenwich – and overseas.